Alameda
California
City Of Alameda News And Events - December 2, 2022
Government and Politics
December 5, 2022
From: City Of AlamedaDecember 2, 2022
- City Council selects Jennifer Ott as new City Manager
- City adopts Housing Element & creates Guaranteed Basic Income pilot program
- New Bohol Circle Immigrant Park & reopened Lincoln Park playground
- Japantown Historic Markers being installed
- New units available for income-eligible households at Alta Star Harbor Apartments
- Thank you for shopping local this holiday season!
- The City of Alameda is hiring!
- Next City Council Meeting: Tuesday, December 6
City Council selects Jennifer Ott as new City Manager
After an extensive recruitment, the Alameda City Council is set to appoint Jennifer Ott as Alameda’s new City Manager at its December 6, 2022 meeting. Ms. Ott is expected to begin work January 3, 2023.
"I am truly excited about returning to the City of Alameda as its next City Manager,” said Jennifer Ott. “My previous 13 years working for Alameda, and the many relationships I developed, will allow me to hit the ground running and immediately begin implementing Council and community priorities.”
City adopts Housing Element & creates Guaranteed Basic Income pilot program
State law requires all cities in California to plan to meet the housing needs of everyone in the community. After more than 25 public workshops, the Alameda City Council approved the 2023-2031 Housing Element, making Alameda the first city in the Bay Area to adopt a housing element that has been approved by the State, preventing the loss of State funding and land use control, among other consequences. In the next nine years, approximately 5,353 housing units will be located at Alameda Point, the Northern Waterfront area, shopping center sites, the Park Street District and Webster Street District commercial corridors, and in residential areas.
Last month the City Council also approved a partnership with Operation Dignity and Abt Associates to implement and provide research on Alameda's Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) pilot program. The program will begin in spring/summer 2023 and provide 150 low-income Alameda households (for example, a family of 4 would need to make $55-80k/year to qualify) cash payments of $1,000 a month for two years.
GBI programs are designed to alleviate poverty, increase spending on education and training, and improve food security and well being. Direct payments and program costs will be paid with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA).
New Bohol Circle Immigrant Park & reopened Lincoln Park playground
Bohol Circle Immigrant Park is located at the very end of 5th Street, past Target, on the estuary. This park on a pier has a playground, picnic area, fish cleaning station, dock for non-motorized watercraft, large open area for events, fitness equipment, connection with the San Francisco Bay Trail, and seating along the public water promenade. Stay tuned for more information on the grand opening celebration in January.
During a storm last winter, a large tree fell in Lincoln Park and destroyed the playground structure. Less than a year later, the new playground is open and includes many fun play components and a jungle theme to honor the Lincoln Lions. Check it out!!
Japantown Historic Markers being installed
The City and community partners unveiled the first of four Japantown Historic Markers at the Alameda Marketplace. More than a century after executive order 9066 in 1942, which ordered the forced removal of Japanese Americans, this project is building new awareness of Alameda’s hidden Japantown by creating historic markers that share the rich immigrant history and the proud diversity we embrace today.
Alameda’s historic marker project is named “Tonarigumi,” which means “neighborhood.” Each of the four markers present a different aspect of the Japanese American community in Alameda’s Japantown, and all will be installed in the next few months:
- Traces of Alameda Japantown at the Alameda Marketplace
- Life that Connects Us All at the Buddhist Temple of Alameda
- Becoming a Japantown at the City of Alameda Free Library
- A Beacon of Light at Buena Vista Methodist United Church
Tonarigumi partners include the four marker locations and Rhythmix Cultural Works, with creative direction and design from Kazumu Julio Cesar Naganuma and Grace Horikiri.
Five free sandbags are available to each Alameda household as we prepare for upcoming rains and the storm season. Sandbags can be retrieved anytime from the City's self-serve sandbag station in the courtyard behind City Hall West, 950 W Mall Square, at Alameda Point.
This Saturday, December 3, from 8am-12noon, the City is hosting a sandbag station event near City Hall West at Lexington Street and W Tower Avenue. Stop by and be prepared for the upcoming storm season.
New units available for income-eligible households at Alta Star Harbor Apartments
Newly constructed affordable rental units are available at Alta Star Harbor Apartments, being developed at the former Del Monte warehouse. Units are designated for moderate-income households that earn up to 120% of the area median income -- $137,100 for a household of 2 or $171,350 for a household of 4.
Preference is given to Alameda Unified School District employees and people who live or work in Alameda. Read more and apply to enter the opportunity drawing by Monday, December 5, at 5pm.
Upcoming Tree Removal at Chochenyo & Lincoln Park
These two 120+ year old magnolia trees at Chochenyo Park are being removed, after a comprehensive assessment by an outside arborist found interior structural damage and root decay that poses a public safety hazard. The trees will be replaced and the surrounding area will be converted to a drought-tolerant landscape.
A similar assessment determined that this large fig tree at Lincoln Park must also be removed. This tree is at least 120 years old and was part of the original estate before the land was transferred to the City for a park. It will be replaced by two large live oak trees and a third large tree to be planted at a later date. The City will salvage larger logs/limbs from these trees for use in our parks.
Thank you for shopping local this holiday season!
Alameda is filled with amazing shops, restaurants, and bars to shop local at this holiday season. Search for shops with Shop Local posters displayed in their windows and sign up for our Shop Local collectible keychain and token giveaway!
Subscribe to AC Alert so the City can reach you by text, email, and phone in an emergency. You can also visit the City's Alerts page to view the latest alerts and advisories. The following alerts are currently active:
Encinal Avenue improvements: Caltrans is repaving and making other improvements to Encinal Avenue between Broadway and Sherman Street in December, providing motorists with a smoother ride, and enhancing safety for pedestrians and wheelchair users. In addition to repaving, the work includes upgrading existing curb ramps, enhancing crosswalk markings, upgrading signals with accessible pedestrian signals, and installing vehicle speed feedback signs.
Posey Tube closure: The Posey Tube (leaving Alameda) will be closed overnight from 10pm-4:30am on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, for maintenance work. The Webster Tube will remain open.
Mariner Square Drive reconstruction: The City of Alameda expects to begin reconstructing the pavement on Mariner Square Drive between Constitution Way and Marina Village Parkway on December 5. This project will take two weeks to complete, and during construction the City’s contractor will implement a full road closure, 24 hours a day. Road users will need to use other routes to travel through the area or access properties in the immediate area. Detour signs and temporary traffic control will guide motorists through Marina Village Parkway.
The City of Alameda is hiring!
Current job openings include entry and lateral Firefighter (EMT and Paramedic), Assistant City Attorney, Deputy City Attorney, Senior Librarian, Police Officer, part-time Administrative and Maintenance positions, and more.
The updated bivalent COVID-19 booster is available for everyone 5 and older. The CDC’s community level of Alameda County COVID-19 transmission remains in the low range, however cases are starting to increase and a winter surge is expected. Health experts advise everyone 5 and older to get the updated bivalent COVID-19 booster before holiday gatherings to avoid severe illness. The updated booster also helps protect against long COVID. Schedule an appointment today!
Next City Council Meeting: Tuesday, December 6
Alameda City Council meetings are conducted virtually with Councilmembers attending via teleconference. The City allows public participation via Zoom. Here's a look at what's on the December 6 regular agenda:
- 2023 Recreation and Park fees
- Amendments to the Green Buildings Code and Fire Code
- Issue bonds payable from annual special taxes levied on properties at Alameda Marina to pay for sea level rise resilience and adaptation improvements
- Adopt the draft Active Transportation Plan
- Require City departments to obtain City Council approval before acquiring surveillance technology
- Lease with Astra Space for building 360 at Alameda Point
- December 2: Downtown Alameda's Hot Cocoa Stroll
- December 4: Alameda Holiday Festival at Temple Israel
- December 6: Listening Session from 5-6pm with representatives from the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the SF Bay Area and the Confederated Villages of Lisjan, who have historical ties to the land that is now called the City of Alameda. The Ohlone tribes will share their history, thoughts, and perspectives on ways the City can support and partner with local Indigenous Tribes
- Click here for a calendar of all City Council and City Board and Commission meetings
- Click here to view events at the Alameda Free Library